So it is in The Pravda Messenger, only the bible seems to take a back seat to the teenage protagonist Tanya Novack. She has a unique gift called the Pravda, something passed down genetically from mother to daughter, skipping a generation. Years earlier, her Father Yuri took her to the tomb of Feodor Kuzmich (believed to be Czar Alexander) to retrieve a snuff box that held a special message for the one with the Pravda. Yuri is captured, but Tanya escapes Russian and eventually makes it to America. In the present, an antique bible comes into her possession in a rather bizarre way and her life then intertwines with it.
Yuri barely survives in a Siberian labor camp, holding out hope that Tanya is still alive. She holds out the same hope for her father, not knowing his fate after their separation when she was a child.
The story follows Tanya as she encounters the bible, a friendly female attorney, and ruthless men bent on using her for their own gain, and who will stop at nothing to achieve their goal. At the same time, we observe Yuri’s life and his desire to escape in order to find his daughter once more. Several other characters are woven into the plot, adding depth, interest, and yet more international intrigue.
I enjoyed the sequel even more than the first book. It had a cohesive plot, bringing many characters together with conflicting goals, but all involved somehow with Tanya or the bible. I think Yuri was my favorite character-a strong yet sensitive man who never gave up, even though he neared the breaking point many times in his life.
One other thing that sticks out to me is the idea that our choices affect more than just ourselves. They can and do have an enlarging impact, as do concentric circles in a pond after a rock is thrown into the water. The circles keep reaching farther outward until the next disturbance of the surface.
If you enjoyed The Bell Messenger, you’ll be sure to enjoy The Pravda Messenger.
